Yes, yes, I was a member of that STUpid site (don't kill me, moderators), but it directly led me to finding AtoZ and all of you. There were a couple of other folks who also made the jump, but not many.

Yes, yes, I was a member of that STUpid site (don't kill me, moderators), but it directly led me to finding AtoZ and all of you. There were a couple of other folks who also made the jump, but not many.

There was a member of both sites who was feeling really bad. You see, over at the Site That Shall Not Be Named, the owner was getting a little bit crazy. This member was more of a lurker on both sites but did occasionally post. The owner of the STSNBN had been harassing members, and this one member had been particularly bothered by it. In an effort to cheer up that member, another member started a thread called "Just Staring". That thread got silly, and a bit out of control. Amanda, in all her infinite wisdom, realized that certain people needed a release valve and allowed it to go on, but moved it to a restricted area of the forum.

In due time, that thread ran its course, but many close friendships had been forged. It was decided that a thread that was purely social was needed. A thread entitled "The Party's Over HERE" was then started in the chat sub-forum. This was a purely silly thread, with a virtual pool and an open bar (and painting fish). That thread got very large, and it was decided that it should be ended and a new one started. That's when the first thread called "The After-Party" got started.

Again, The After-Party got quite large, but instead of starting an entirely new thread, the mods just cut it down from time to time. It's been cut several times. Recently, it was closed accidentally, but we all assumed that there was some magic number that auto-closed enormous threads, similar to the debates and marathon threads. That's when the newest incarnation, The After Party 2, was started.

So, there you have it. Anybody is welcome to join the AP. Very few of the original posters on the "Just Staring" thread are still active, and most of the regular posters on the AP2, came in long after the original. Many of us have formed close, personal friendships through this thread. We've been accused in the past of being "clique-ish", but we really don't want to be that way. Throughout the years, many of us have formed close, personal friendships in the day to day sharing of our lives. Those bonds, I think, are obvious, and might be a little intimidating for somebody reading the thread for the first time, but please don't let that scare you. There's always room in our lives for new friends.

I was on that other site. It was exclusively for substitutes because, in the host's opinion, no teacher forum would truly accept subs. She harassed the members of the other forum for cash daily, threatening to shut down the site if we didn't pay our fair share. Meanwhile, she seemed to be carrying on a war with people who would sign up and, to my knowledge, do nothing but annoy her personally. In particular, she would email me about the evil people on that horrible AtoZ site. It made me lurk here for a little, realize the folks were pretty cool, and leave the other forum for good.

This forum has been amazing during my time as a substitute, a job seeker and now as an online educator.

LOL I was a part of that! There were several of us who laughed till we cried, night after night. Were you one that joined us in AIM and we had our own little private chats??? Kinderkids was one of my favorite partners in crime back then. We were such devils. I miss those times.

LOL I was a part of that! There were several of us who laughed till we cried, night after night. Were you one that joined us in AIM and we had our own little private chats??? Kinderkids was one of my favorite partners in crime back then. We were such devils. I miss those times.

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Yes, Grammy, I was an AIMer..it was a good thing that happened in the summer because we were up for hours laughing!!

LOL I was a part of that! There were several of us who laughed till we cried, night after night. Were you one that joined us in AIM and we had our own little private chats??? Kinderkids was one of my favorite partners in crime back then. We were such devils. I miss those times.

Hahaha... I just looked up our old fish painting thread. Some of it has been deleted (I think because we got off subject, something about photo-copying butts on the copy machine!) Anyway, I started to laugh all over again at some of the posts that remain! It was so funny because we all had different opinions of painting with a fish!!!
Oh how I miss those laughs on here.

I was on that other site. It was exclusively for substitutes because, in the host's opinion, no teacher forum would truly accept subs. She harassed the members of the other forum for cash daily, threatening to shut down the site if we didn't pay our fair share. Meanwhile, she seemed to be carrying on a war with people who would sign up and, to my knowledge, do nothing but annoy her personally. In particular, she would email me about the evil people on that horrible AtoZ site. It made me lurk here for a little, realize the folks were pretty cool, and leave the other forum for good.

This forum has been amazing during my time as a substitute, a job seeker and now as an online educator.

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As was I. Until she went crazy. I remember even having conversations with my sister about her. She was nuts!

I was on that other site. It was exclusively for substitutes because, in the host's opinion, no teacher forum would truly accept subs. She harassed the members of the other forum for cash daily, threatening to shut down the site if we didn't pay our fair share. Meanwhile, she seemed to be carrying on a war with people who would sign up and, to my knowledge, do nothing but annoy her personally. In particular, she would email me about the evil people on that horrible AtoZ site. It made me lurk here for a little, realize the folks were pretty cool, and leave the other forum for good.

This forum has been amazing during my time as a substitute, a job seeker and now as an online educator.

Click to expand...

hahaha that sounds ridiculous

especially since webhosting is rather cheap (like $5 a month for a small site, or if you want an actual server, like $20 a month)

There was a member of both sites who was feeling really bad. You see, over at the Site That Shall Not Be Named, the owner was getting a little bit crazy. This member was more of a lurker on both sites but did occasionally post. The owner of the STSNBN had been harassing members, and this one member had been particularly bothered by it. In an effort to cheer up that member, another member started a thread called "Just Staring". That thread got silly, and a bit out of control. Amanda, in all her infinite wisdom, realized that certain people needed a release valve and allowed it to go on, but moved it to a restricted area of the forum.

In due time, that thread ran its course, but many close friendships had been forged. It was decided that a thread that was purely social was needed. A thread entitled "The Party's Over HERE" was then started in the chat sub-forum. This was a purely silly thread, with a virtual pool and an open bar (and painting fish). That thread got very large, and it was decided that it should be ended and a new one started. That's when the first thread called "The After-Party" got started.

Again, The After-Party got quite large, but instead of starting an entirely new thread, the mods just cut it down from time to time. It's been cut several times. Recently, it was closed accidentally, but we all assumed that there was some magic number that auto-closed enormous threads, similar to the debates and marathon threads. That's when the newest incarnation, The After Party 2, was started.

So, there you have it. Anybody is welcome to join the AP. Very few of the original posters on the "Just Staring" thread are still active, and most of the regular posters on the AP2, came in long after the original. Many of us have formed close, personal friendships through this thread. We've been accused in the past of being "clique-ish", but we really don't want to be that way. Throughout the years, many of us have formed close, personal friendships in the day to day sharing of our lives. Those bonds, I think, are obvious, and might be a little intimidating for somebody reading the thread for the first time, but please don't let that scare you. There's always room in our lives for new friends.

Glenda is on Facebook. Her husband has had some serious health troubles, but is much better now.

I remember when the original Party threads would update so fast you couldn't keep up with the conversation. That's when we had to switch to AIM or Yahoo messenger. And laugh...oh, man, I think my husband thought I had gone off my rocker! :woot: